Terence Lau, Dean and Professor of Law
College of Law
Malfitano Dean’s Suite, 408 Dineen Hall
http://law.syracuse.edu
About the College of Law
At Syracuse University College of Law, a legal education extends far beyond the classroom.
From our nationally recognized innovative centers and trial advocacy program to prestigious externship placements and practical clinical opportunities, experiential learning is key to our students’ success. Learn from renowned faculty who are experts in their fields, leading the way in disability, technology innovation, and national security law.
As an Orange lawyer, our students become a part of a powerful network of over 11,000 extraordinary alumni. Join us today for a dynamic legal education that will prepare you to impact justice and empower change. Contact our Admissions team for more information.
Admission
Applicants to the College of Law are not required to present college credit in a particular subject area. A broad general education is helpful preparation for law study. Above all, prospective law students should be able to use language effectively. Applicants should have the ability to communicate ideas orally and in writing with precision and clarity.
The Admissions Committee at the College of Law considers the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores and writing samples, transcripts showing records of prior academic performance, letters of recommendation, and any other documentation submitted by applicants indicating likely success in the demanding law school curriculum and legal profession.
Academic Rules & Regulations
See our Academic Handbook for Academic Rules and Regulations.
Enrollment in Law Courses
On a space-available basis, matriculated Main Campus graduate students may enroll in a limited number of courses at the College of Law with special approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Programs. Matriculated Main Campus graduate students wishing to take law courses should follow the below procedures.
- If space is available, get permission and signature from the law professor to enroll in the course.
- The approved forms will be submitted to the College of Law Office of the Registrar for processing.
Students should contact the dean of their home college to determine whether law courses can be applied toward their graduate degree.
The mere enrollment in a course offered by the College of Law does not constitute admission to the college. Students must be matriculated in the College of Law to receive law credit toward the J.D. degree. Consequently, law credits taken prior to admission to the College of Law will not be accepted toward the J.D. degree.
Our Degree Programs
On-Campus J.D. Program
Join our community of aspiring lawyers through the On-Campus J.D. Program. Our On-Campus J.D. Program gives you the core knowledge, aptitude, and skills to build your career as a profession-ready lawyer in a broad spectrum of fields. An innovative approach to legal education, our vast and connected alumni network, and our focus on collaboration will help you create the foundation for a lifetime of success.
Online J.D. Program, JDinteractive (JDi)
Designed for professionals. Delivered with excellence. An Online J.D. that works for you. Earn your law degree from home through JDinteractive (JDi).
JDi is an ABA-accredited, hybrid online J.D. program that offers students the same high-caliber legal education as the on-campus J.D. with substantial flexibility. The program has been recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the Best Online J.D. programs for 2025. Now with a six-year track record of success, JDi is the nation’s premier online J.D. program for working professionals.
Whether you are a career advancer or a career changer, our program is adaptable to your schedule. You can attend year-round to get your degree in three to four years, or space out your learning experience for up to seven years. JDi is flexible for ambitious professionals who are employed full-time, have parental commitments, are involved in their community, need to travel often, or have other time obligations. It makes the law degree accessible.
Master of Laws (LL.M.) Program for International Law Graduates
The Master of Laws (LL.M.) for international law graduates at the College of Law is a 24-credit hour graduate law program designed to offer international legal professionals the opportunity to broaden their effectiveness through the study of U.S. laws and the American legal process.
Courses are offered mainly in the Fall (August - December) and Spring (January - May) semesters. A few courses are offered in the summer. In the first semester, LL.M. students are required to enroll two courses specifically designed for the LL.M. program: Introduction to the American Legal System (3 credits), and Legal Writing for LL.M. Students (3 credits). The remainder of the program allows the student to tailor their own experience in the LL.M. from among the diverse courses offered at the College.
This program is exclusively available to graduates in law from foreign academic institutions or those who are otherwise licensed to practice law in their home jurisdictions. We seek applicants from diverse legal backgrounds, including corporate, government, private practice, judicial and academic.
Joint Degree Programs
Joint degree study is an integral part of academic life at the College of Law allowing students who desire a greater degree of specialization to select from a number of disciplinary opportunities through Syracuse University’s schools and colleges. Formal joint degree programs designed to fit career objectives are available in international relations, public administration, communications, business administration, education, forensic science, history, philosophy, political science, social work, forest and natural resource management (concurrent degree), and computer science.
Joint degree programs are structured so that students can earn both degrees in substantially less time than required to earn each degree separately. Students in the joint degree programs must complete their first year of study in the College of Law prior to beginning coursework in the other graduate program.
Admission to Joint Degree Programs:
Those interested in enrolling in a joint degree program must apply and be admitted to both the College of Law and the other appropriate school or college of the University. Admission to the College of Law does not guarantee one’s acceptance into another graduate program. Admission to the joint degree program shall be open to all law students who have a GPA of 2.9 or higher in all Required Lower-Division Courses at the College of Law. A student’s eligibility for joint degree candidacy must be approved in advance by the Administrative Hearing Officer as meeting the qualification requirements for admission to the Joint Degree Program.
The College of Law conducts a semi-annual review of each joint degree candidate’s progress in the Joint Degree Program. A faculty advisor from the joint degree school or department provides the College of Law with data on the student’s progression in that school, college, or department. The College of Law determines whether the student is making satisfactory progress under the following factors: (1) the number of and reasons for “Incompletes” in course work; (2) failure to maintain a cumulative grade-point average of (GPA) of 2.9 or above; (3) the student’s standing in the non-law degree program; and (4) progress made and plans for satisfying the writing and optional oral defense requirements of the joint-degree program.
Minimum Credit Hours:
Students enrolled in joint degree programs, other than the Master of Professional Studies in Forest and Natural Resources Management at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, must earn a minimum of 72 credit hours required for the J.D. at the College of Law. In addition, a minimum of 15 credit hours must be earned by successfully completing offerings outside the College of Law pursuant to the approved joint degree program.
Students enrolled in the Master of Professional Studies in Forest and Natural Resources Management in the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry program must take Environmental Law and must earn a minimum of 78 credit hours required for the J.D. at the College of Law. In addition, a minimum of 9 credit hours must be earned by successfully completing offerings outside of the College of Law pursuant to the approved joint degree program.
Current College of Law students: please contact the College of Law Office Registrar’s Office, Dineen Hall, Syracuse, NY 13244-1030; Email: lawstudentrecords@syr.edu.
For admissions information, please contact the College of Law Admissions Office at, 315-443-1962.
For financial aid and scholarship information, please contact the College of Law Financial Aid Office at, 315-443-1962.
Students with general questions and inquiries concerning procedures regarding joint degrees should contact lawstudentrecords@syr.edu.
Areas of Excellence
Our centers and institutes are where diverse and interdisciplinary perspectives meet to solve the most complex challenges of our time. Explore the places where innovation meets expertise, as the brilliant minds of students, faculty, and practitioners collaborate for focused learning in critically important areas of the law.
Among our applied learning opportunities, Syracuse Law is home to interdisciplinary research institutes and centers that collaborate with other schools and colleges across Syracuse University, providing comprehensive learning and research experiences.
- The Institute for Security Policy and Law (SPL), a partnership between Syracuse Law and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, is a leader in preparing the next generation of practitioners and policymakers to enter the fields of national security, homeland security, intelligence, military law, and more.
- With a focus on intellectual property and in collaboration with the Whitman School of Management and College of Engineering and Computer Science, students in the Innovation Law Center (ILC) work on legal and regulatory analyses for entrepreneurial clients who are nurturing new technologies from lab to market.
- Teaching international and comparative disability law, the Disability Law and Policy Program (DLPP) is the nation’s most extensive program in this field. Students can choose to pursue a joint degree for a J.D. and Master of Science in Cultural Foundations of Education with an Optional Certificate in Disability Studies in collaboration with the School of Education.
- Develop your advocacy and litigation skills both in and outside of the classroom through our Advocacy Program. Through a blend of intra- and inter-collegiate competitions, including pioneering virtual formats, you’ll have the chance to excel on a global stage. Our track record speaks for itself, with student advocates regularly winning major awards at regional, national, and international competitions.
Practical Experience
For students who wish to gain practical experience while establishing professional networks in geographically diverse legal markets, our Externship Program provides the flexibility you need to tailor your experience to your career goals. Students can enroll in one semester or two semester-long placements. Syracuse Law offers a broad range of externship opportunities with law-firms, public interest organizations, judges and location to national governmental agencies.
Moreover, externships are offered throughout the country. For students who wish to gain international legal experience, we offer an immersive introduction to the UK’s legal landscape through the summer LondonEx. The Orange Flex program allows students in their 3L year to fulfill graduation requirements while at an externship placement by taking online classes through our JDinteractive program.
Clinical & Experiential Education
To be a profession-ready lawyer, you need experience.
Learn how to apply doctrinal law while representing clients under the supervision of faculty-mentors via the College of Law’s clinic program.
Through close supervision and rigorous feedback, you’ll develop competence in law practice management and professional responsibility as well as a deeper understanding of substantive law. While providing a stellar educational experience as student attorneys, our clinics also provide much-needed, otherwise unavailable legal resources to the communities and people of Central New York.
See more details about Clinical & Experiential Education.
Master’s
Doctorate
Combined Degree
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Cultural Foundations of Education, JD/MS/CAS
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Law, JD/Social Work, MSW
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Law/Advertising, JD/MA
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Law/Advocacy and Litigation, JD/LLM
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Law/Arts Journalism and Communications, JD/MA
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Law/Business Administration, JD/MBA
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Law/Computer Science, JD/MS
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Law/Forensic Science, JD/MS
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Law/History, JD/MA
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Law/International Relations, JD/MA
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Law/Magazine, News and Digital Journalism, JD/MA
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Law/Philosophy, JD/PhD
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Law/Political Science, JD/MA
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Law/Political Science, JD/PhD
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Law/Public Administration, JD/MPA
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Law/Public Relations, JD/MS
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Law/Television, Radio and Film, JD/MA
Certificate of Advanced Study